Friday, November 8, 2013

{Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway) Everything Between Us by Mila Ferrera


So if you haven't noticed, I have it listed on my sidebar that this post was supposed to happen on Monday, the 4th. I hate to say that it just completely slipped my mind, and I feel absolutely terrible. Luckily, Giselle at Xpresso Book Tours and Mila have been nice enough to let me post today, despite my mess up, so I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you to them! And please check out the rest of the tour by clicking on the banner! There are some great reviews, so you won't regret it. :)

Release date: November 5, 2013
Author info: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Format: Egalley
Source: Provided for review for blog tour
Buy the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Daniel’s got everything figured out. He makes a good living as an artist … mostly through offering “private shows” to the wives of local wealthy businessmen. He never stops playing the game and never lets anyone touch his heart. But when his current fling offers him a few hundred an hour for art lessons for her reclusive, college-dropout daughter, Daniel finds himself forgetting his own rules. The girl is rude. Insulting. Incredible.

And she sees straight through him.

Stella is hiding from the world, not because she wants to, but because crippling panic attacks await her every time she tries to live a normal life. She’s determined to push everyone–including her handsome new art teacher—away. But Daniel makes it utterly impossible. The guy is irritating. Mocking. Magnetic.

And makes her want things she knows she can never have.

What starts as a battle of wills turns into passion, where giving in means facing the things that scare them most.
New adult books have felt a little hit or miss for me. I've had both good and bad experiences with them thus far, and nothing has quite proven the viability of the genre to me... BUT Everything Between Us might make me reconsider that decision. I signed up for the blog tour because I like the way it sounded and I loved the cover (and I still LOVE the cover, especially after reading the book! I just love when a cover really, really fits--and this one definitely does), and I figured it'd be a nice, semi-light read. Hahahahahaha. Funny. Yes, Everything Between Us has a lovely and very satisfying romance, but the romance is really tangential to (and a catalyst for) a story that embraces the power of making your life what you want it to be, of facing your fears no matter how largely they loom.

I see so much potential in the idea behind new adult that I want it to work so badly. I so want to read about college-age protagonists who deal with real things. A person's reaction to events in their life can change drastically from high school to college and from college to adulthood, so seeing that stage of life is interesting--especially as I'm living it. My frustration with new adult comes when the books fail to deliver any kind of situation aside from romance. Here, both Stella and Daniel are dealing with some of the hardest moments in a person's life. Both are crippled by insecurities and by their fears, but it's not just their love interest that propels them out of this. Sure it spurs them on, but it's their strength of will, their desire to live full lives, that make it happen--regardless of that other person. No one can make those changes for you, and it's a hard road, but with the help of the other, they make it happen--though even that doesn't promise perfection. It's a great progression to see play out, and really worth the read just for that. :) Like I said, this is a book that makes me believe in new adult.

I know sometimes that dual narrators turn me off. Do they do that to y'all? It's just one of those things that gets to me if you can tell an author doesn't have a real reason for giving us the POVs, but they thought it sounded like a good idea. Not the case here. While the story would have been put across just fine without both Daniel and Stella narrating, it would have lacked quite a lot of dimension. We are able to experience Stella's panic, knowing just how she feels as her body wheels out of her control. We hear Daniel's thoughts as to why and how he shuts down his emotions, just so he can't be hurt. We see both of their frustration with the situation they're in, even as we hope that it'll get better.

Normally I end reviews a little more formally (with something like, "Everything Between Us is a heartfelt, emotional, and well-written novel that has made me believe in new adult again, and hopefully it'll do the same for you"), but I'd just like to leave you with this, because I like it and it is, honestly, more eloquent that I could possibly be. :)
"How am I supposed to know when I've found the right woman?"...
"She'll be able to see right through you, Daniel Alexander Van Vliet."...
"Why would I ever want that?" I tease.
"Because she'll like what she sees."


About the author:

Mila Ferrera lives in New England, where she has a family and a job and does various normal, everyday things, all while plotting novels in her head. She has a passion for writing new adult/adult romance featuring psychological twists and tortured heroes. Her own psychology internship involved plenty of consultation, but alas, no sexy Swedish doctors, and her decision to make one up is what sparked her self-publishing adventures. She's the author of SPIRAL (available now), ONLY BETWEEN US (9/3/13), and EVERYTHING BETWEEN US (11/5/13).

Giveaway:

As part of the tour, each stop gets to give away an ecopy of the book! So, hey! If you like the way it sounds (and why wouldn't you??), be sure to check out the rest of the tour stops for an even better chance to win a copy! :) The giveaway is international, and mine will end at midnight on November 23th. The winner will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond. Easy, right? :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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